Pencil-sharpening machine



(No Model.)

- D. F. .RANNEY.

PENCIL SHARPBNING MAGHIm-"J.v No. 350,394. Patented Oct. 5, 1886 @atw v 2% W2 N, PETERS. PfimloLilhngnpher. Wa hington D C- UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

DAVID F. RANNEY, OF FLORENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PENCIL-SHARPENINIG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.350,39{1, dated October 5, 1886.

' Application filed June 10, 1886. Serial No. 204,730. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID F. RANNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Hampshire and-State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pencil-Sharpening Machines, of which-the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pencil-sharpening machines, and to that class thereof which are constructed with a revolving arbor carrying the usual hollow cone-shaped pencil-sharpener and having a pencil guide or support located in front of thelat'ter; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the several parts of the machine, as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part ofthi's specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pencil-sharpening machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper end of the standard, to the face of which the pencil-guide is attached. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the pencil-sharpener and its arbor. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate modified constructions of the penciL'guide, as hereinafter fully described.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon Patent N o. 317 ,550 of May 12, 1885, and the purpose thereof is to simplify the construction shown in said patent without in the least impairing the efficiency of the machine, thereby reducing the cost of the latter and contributing to its durability.

In the drawings, 3 is a standard, having a metallic or other suitable base, 1, which is adapted to be secured by screws on a table or desk, whereby the machine is secured in a proper position for use. Said standard 3 has on its upper end'the head' 5, which is perforated longitudinally to receive the cylindrical arbor 6, the latter having an annular groove, 11, around it, and having one end bored out, to receive the tapering shank of apencil-sharpener, 12, as showmin dotted lines in Fig. 3. Said arbor 6 has rigidly secured thereto at one end the pinion 7, and is secured within the head 5 by a pin, 13, passing through the side of the latter into said annular groove 11. The head 5 has on one side thereof a laterally-projecting stud, 10, to the end of which is hung on a suitable screw or bolt entering said stud the gear-wheel 8, which engages with said pinion 7, and is provided with a crank, 9, whereby it is given a rotary movement to impart a,

like accelerated movement to arbor 6 and the pencil-sharpener 12, the latter being of the ordinary well-known construction, and substantially such as is described and shown in Patents Nos. 20,056 and 20,262 of 1858, the shank of said sharpener being provided with a laterally-proj ecting stud, 22, which engages with taper, for with such construction said shank becomes tightly wedged in the end of the arbor when the sharpener is used, for the reason that the pencil under such circumstances is pushed with more or less force into the end of the sharpener, thereby driving said shank into the arbor.

On the front end of the base 4 is fixed the standard 14, extending upwardly to a point somewhat below the axial line of the arbor 6,

and having a pointed projection, 15, on its outer side. The base 4, the standard 3 with its head 5, and the standard 14 are most conveniently made by casting them all in one piece of Honor other suitable metal.

On the outer side of the standard 11, near its lower end, is a projecting boss, 16, which is perforated centrally to receive a screw, 23.

A guide-plate, 17, having near its upper end a series of perforations, 2, of varying diameters, and having therein below said perforations on its rear side a series of indentations, 18, is attached to said standard on the outer side thereof by said screw 23, which passes through its lower end, and upon which screw said guide-plate is capable of a swinging motion. By means of said construction said guide-plate has no contact with the standard 14, excepting at its lower end on the face of said boss, and with said projection 15 at the upper end of said standard, the latter being adapted to engage in one of said indentations18 whenever said plate 17 is swung to bring either one of the perforations 2 therein opposite the open end of the pencil-sharpener 12 and hold said plate in that position while the machine is being operated, as hereinafter described. The said guideplate 17 is made from flexible sheet metal, preferably of sheetsteel, and hence is capable of flexure, whereby, while its lower end is held securely between the head of the screw 23 and the face of the boss 16 on the standard 14-, its upper end may be sprung away from contact with the projection 15 to permit of swinging it on said screw, and when. released the free end of said plate springs toward the upper end of standard 14, bearing against theprojcction 15 thereon, and when one of said indentations 18 is brought opposite the end of said projection the latter engages therein, as aforesaid.

By means of the above-described construction of a flexible vibrating guide-plate, which constitutes a spring of itself to cause it to engage with said projection on standard 14-, and which permits its free end to be sprung away from said projection, the employment of a spring-washer between the face of the guideplate and the screw which secures the latter to the frame of the machine in the construction shown and described in said patent is obviated, and an arrangement of the guideplate and its connection with the standard let is provided, possessing more of the characteristics of strength and durability than is pro vided when a spring-washer must be used, as described in said patent. I

The operation of the above-described machine for sharpening pencils is as follows: The guide-plate 17 is sprung away from conncction with the projection 15 on standard 14, and swung on its pivot-screw 23 to bring one of the perforations 2 therein, which'will permit thepencil to pass through it opposite the open end of the sharpener 12. The pencil is then held in one hand, one end thereof is passed through the perforation opposite the sharpener, and is forced into the open end of the latter, the plate 17 meanwhile so guiding the pencil or providing a rest therefor as to keep it in a line substantially with the axis of rotation of said sharpener, and the gear-wheel 8 is then rotated, imparting a rapid rotary movement to pinion 7, the arbor 6, and the pencil-sharpener, and causing the latter to cut the end of the pencil to a conical shape coinciding with that of the interior of the sharpener.

Figs. 4 and 5 indicate a modified construction of a guide-plate and of supports therefor, whereby said plate is supported before a sharpener with the capability of moving the same in a horizontal or in a vertical line to bring either of its peucil guiding perforations opposite the end of said sharpener.

In Fig. 4, 19 indicates a standard to replace the standard 14 in Fig. l, to the side of which is secured a metallic plate, 20, leaving a space between the latter and the side of said standard into which the guide-plate 21, having the perforations 2 therein, is. introduced in the position shown, and is capable of being moved therein horizontally, for the purpose above set forth. At 24, on said plate 20, an indentation is made by means of a suitable sharppointed.instrument, which. produces a slight projection on the inner face of said plate, the point of which engages with indentations in the plate 21, (shown in dotted lines thereon,) thereby holding said plate to such position as it may be moved to. The spring of the plate 20 against the plate 21 is sullicicut to permit of moving the guide-plate 21 back of it and to cause the point of the indentation 24, in plate 20 to become disengaged from and engaged with said indentation in the guide plate automatically, when the latter is moved as aforesaid.

Fig. 5 illustrates aconstruction of standard and. plate secured to the side thereof, between which and the standard the guide-plate 21 is supported and moved, substantially like that shown in Fig. 4; but the guide-plate shown in Fig. 5 is adapted to be moved vertically to bring its pencil-guiding perforations before a pencil-sharpener, instead of horizontally, but

the same means are providedin said Fi 5 for retaining the guideplate in a desired position as those described relative to Fi 4.

WVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A pencil-sharpening machine consisting of the standard 3, having the hollow head 5, provided with the laterally-projecting stud 10, the pin 13, passing through the side of said head, the arbor 6, having an annular groove therein and a tapered socket in one end, the pinion 7, secured on said arbor, the gear-wheel hung on said stud and engaging with said pinion, the pencil-shar )ener12, having a shank entering the end of said arbor, and the pencil-guiding plate 17, pivoted to swing opposite the end of said pencil-sharpener and having suitable guide-holes therein, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

2. A pencil-sharpening machine consisting of the standard 3, having the hollow head 5, provided with the laterally-projecting stud 10, the pin 13, passing through the side of said head, the arbor 6, having an annular groove therein and a tapered socket in one end, the pinion 7, secured on said arbor, the gear-wheel hung on said stud and engaging with said pinion, the pencil-sharpener 12, having a shank entering the end of said arbor, the standard 14, having the projection 15 and the boss 16 thereon, and the pencil-guiding plate 17 pivoted against the face of thclattcr and having indentations therein to engage with said projection 15 and the perforations 2, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, the arbor 6, having the pinion 7 thereon, and havingaperforated end, free end capable of a flexible movement tothe gear 8, engaging with said pinion, the ward and from said standard, substantially as IO pencil-sharpener having a shank entering said set forth. I arbor, the standard 14, having the projection 5 15 thereon, and the guide-plate 17, provided DAVID R RANNEY' with guide-holes 2, secured by one end to said Witnesses: standard and having indentations therein to G. M. CHAMBERLAIN, engage with said projection 15, and having its H. A. OHAPIN. 

